THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TAG: 9602200080
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Linda McNatt
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
Now, when friends and relatives visit from out of town, you don't have to send them to Colonial Williamsburg to buy a postcard to send home.
The very first picture postcards of Isle of Wight County are hot off the presses, sold by the Isle of Wight/ Smithfield/Windsor Chamber of Commerce.
At 75 cents each, there are four scenes to choose from:
An aerial view of Jones Creek (the bronze pig that stands guard at Smithfield Packing is set into the corner of this one).
Historic Downtown Smithfield.
The Valentine and Ben Franklin, two bronze statues on Main Street.
Examples of some interesting architecture.
``The cards portray a tradition of community pride and give residents and visitors a fascinating glimpse of our colorful history,'' a news release from the chamber said.
Beginning this week, the cards will be on sale at chamber member businesses throughout the county. In Smithfield, at the Ice Cream Parlor, Simpson's Pharmacy, The Twins Restaurant, G&L Printing in Carrollton.
Connie Rhodes, executive director of the chamber, said the cards will be for sale in Windsor by next week, probably at New Image, at Town Hall and other selected locations.
With help from Bob Hart, a former Smithfield councilmember and a professional photographer, the chamber's marketing committee made the selections. That committee is made up of Margaret Carroll, Jim Abicht, Tom Hearn and Delores Cahoon.
They couldn't have made a better choice of Main Street. It shows the historic town on a rainy afternoon, near dusk. Rhodes said that this particular photo was taken by Cahoon, after her husband, Aubrey, gave her a new camera.
Hart had taken a similar shot, but, when he saw Cahoon's, he thought she'd done a better job. The committee decided to use the Cahoon version, and she gets credit on the back of the card. Maybe the chamber president has another career waiting for her once she retires from Simpson's Pharmacy.
Hart took care of the bronze statues. And he did a superb job on the one depicting Smithfield's architecture. The card features the Gwaltney House in the snow, the ornate Victorian gazebo in Hart's back yard, at the Berryman-Hart House, and ``The Cottage'' on Grace Street.
The pig and Jones Creek is ``courtesy of Basse's Choice,'' the local company that offers fine products of Virginia through catalog sales and a shop on Main Street.
I'm certainly not normally one to criticize, but, somehow, showing the two scenes on one card gives one the impression that maybe wild pigs run on the shores of the creek that feeds into the Pagan River.
``Aquatic pigs?'' I heard somebody ask.
``I thought it was a hippopotamus,'' a member of our office staff here at The Citizen said.
``I've heard hippopotamus somewhere else,'' Rhodes said.
But, in defense, she added, ``I think it's a cute pig!''
These are not the first Isle of Wight County postcards.
For about three years, Bill Blevins, manager of Main Street's Ben Franklin store and a champion of local causes, has been featuring local postcards. It was his marketing idea, it seems.
Blevins admits that his aren't quite as professional - his brother, Randy Blevins, a Walmart warehouse worker, comes to every special event in the county and takes pictures. Then, the snapshots are put onto the front of adhesive-based cards.
Blevins' postcards feature familiar places, familiar faces. The photographer has managed to capture ordinary citizens at their best - in parades, local events, celebrations like Olden Days.
So, you'll know this summer when visitors come, they'll have quite a postcard assortment to choose from.
There's the beautiful picture of Historic St. Luke's Church, a national shrine, the old Courthouse on Main Street. The courthouse has also recently become available on a mug, Rhodes said, for $5.50.
And this isn't the end of the chamber line. Rhodes said they are looking for suggestions of scenes in the southern end of the county.
I told her I'd like to see the Blackwater River, Zuni Pine Barrens, maybe Windsor High School, a lovely building. And, certainly, there are historic homes throughout the county. The possibilities are endless.
If you have a suggestion of your own, call Rhodes at the chamber, 357-3502.
Better not mention anything about a hippopotamus, though. She's probably heard enough about that. ILLUSTRATION: This postcard has a view of Jones Creek with an inset of a
bronze pig, courtesy of Basse's Choice, that stands guard at
Smithfield Packing.
by CNB